Dawn Coe-Jones

Dawn Coe-Jones (October 19, 1960 – November 12, 2016) was a Canadian professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour, and a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. She was the first female Canadian golfer to surpass $1million in career earnings, announcing the arrival of Canadian female golfers upon the world stage in the 1990s.[1]

Dawn Coe-Jones
Personal information
Born(1960-10-19)October 19, 1960
Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada
DiedNovember 12, 2016(2016-11-12) (aged 56)
Tampa, Florida, U.S.
Height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Nationality Canada
SpouseJimmy Jones
Children1 son
Career
CollegeLamar University
Turned professional1983
Retired2008
Former tour(s)LPGA Tour (1984–2008)
Legends Tour
Professional wins4
Number of wins by tour
LPGA Tour3
Other1
Best results in LPGA major championships
ANA InspirationT5: 1993
Women's PGA C'ship3rd: 1990
U.S. Women's Open5th: 1992
du Maurier Classic3rd: 1993
Women's British OpenDNP

Early years

Coe-Jones was born in Campbell River, British Columbia. Growing up in Lake Cowichan on Vancouver Island, she worked as a teenager at March Meadows Golf Course in Honeymoon Bay.[2]

She had an outstanding amateur career, scoring back-to-back wins in the B.C. Junior tournament in 1978 and 1979 and the B.C. Amateur in 1982 and 1983. She capped her 1983 season with the Canadian Women's Amateur title and won NCAA all-American honours at Lamar University. She won a scholarship in her sophomore year and graduated in 1983 with a degree in elementary education.[2]

Professional career

Her first LPGA win came at the Women's Kemper Open in 1992. Coe-Jones was accompanied by caddie and childhood friend Kelly Feltrin, who was on her bag when she won the Kemper. She went on to claim the 1994 LPGA Palm Beach Classic and 1995 Tournament of Champions. Her best score ever was 63 at the Safeco Classic in 1998.[2]

Coe-Jones played on the LPGA Tour from 1984 to 2008, winning three tournaments, and over $3 million in career earnings. She competed in over 20 Canadian Women's Opens. Her best chance to win her national open was in 1993, when she was third behind Brandie Burton and Betsy King at London Hunt. She tied for fourth with Canadian Gail Graham in 1998 in Windsor, Ontario.[2]

Coe-Jones made her farewell appearance at the CN Canadian Open in 2008, finishing 14-over after two rounds and missing the cut.

Personal

She competed under her maiden name, Dawn Coe, until her marriage to Jimmy Jones in November 1992. She moved to Tampa from Texas in 1992 to be near the man she would marry that year, Jimmy Jones, and friends from the tour.[3] Their son James was born three years later.[2]

Coe-Jones' favourite hockey team growing up was the Montreal Canadiens, but after living in Florida for many years she adopted the Tampa Bay Lightning.[4] She was present for their 2004 Stanley Cup victory.[1]

Death

She died of chondrosarcoma, a form of bone cancer at a hospice on November 12, 2016, near her home in Tampa, Florida, aged 56.[1][5]

She is survived by her husband, Jimmy, son, Jimmy, in-laws Sandy and General James Jones, and brothers Mark and John Coe. Her son is a college golfer at the University of South Florida and winner of the 2015 Florida State Amateur.[6][7]

Legacy

The inaugural Dawn Coe-Jones Golf Classic was held in October 2016 to raise funds for Sarcoma research in her name.[6]

Honours

Coe-Jones was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2003, and the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.[1][8]

Amateur wins (5)
  • 1978 British Columbia Junior
  • 1979 British Columbia Junior
  • 1982 British Columbia Amateur
  • 1983 British Columbia Amateur, Canadian Women's Amateur

Professional wins (4)

LPGA Tour wins (3)
No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin of
victory		Runner-up
1 Feb, 29 1992 Women's Kemper Open −13 (68-70-69-68=275) 1 stroke Dottie Mochrie
2 Feb 6, 1994 HealthSouth Palm Beach Classic −15 (67-69-65=201) 1 stroke Lauri Merten
3 Jan 15, 1995 Chrysler-Plymouth Tournament of Champions −7 (74-70-68-69=281) 6 strokes Beth Daniel

LPGA Tour playoff record (0–1)

No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
1 1992 Oldsmobile LPGA Classic Colleen Walker Lost to par on first extra hole

Other wins (1)
  • 1992 Pizza-La LPGA Matchplay Championship

Team appearances

Professional

  • World Cup (representing Canada): 2005
  • Handa Cup (representing World team): 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 (tie), 2014

See also
1990s wave of Canadian female golfers on the LPGA Tour

References
  1. Robinson, Peter (November 12, 2016). "Canada loses a trailblazer with the passing of Dawn Coe-Jones". CBC News.
  2. "Canadian golfer Dawn Coe-Jones dead at 56". CBC Sports. The Canadian Press. November 12, 2016.
  3. "Dawn Coe-Jones, Canadian Golf Hall of Famer and Tampa resident, dies of cancer". Tampa Bay Times. November 12, 2016. Archived from the original on November 14, 2016. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  4. Hutchinson, Ian (November 12, 2016). "Remember Dawn Coe-Jones With The Smile She Deserves". Golf News Now.
  5. "Canadian golf great Dawn Coe-Jones dies at 56". The Globe and Mail. The Canadian Press. November 12, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2016.
  6. "LPGA Tour Remembers Dawn Coe-Jones". LPGA. November 12, 2016. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  7. "Canadian HOF'er Coe-Jones, 56, dies of cancer". Golf Channel. November 12, 2016. Archived from the original on November 13, 2016. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
  8. "Hall of Fame members: Dawn Coe-Jones". Golf Canada. Retrieved November 14, 2016.
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